Elisabeth Seitz

It’s February, y’all! Worlds still feel like a million years away, but for the athletes trying to qualify individually, they’ll be top of mind as the Cottbus World Cup kicks off at the end of the month, acting as the first of four qualifiers for apparatus specialists.

As the hosts, Germany seems to be focusing more on building up young talent than pushing for top placements. Three-time Olympian and world bronze medalist Elisabeth Seitz leads the women’s field while 2020 Olympian Nils Dunkel leads the men’s, and the rest on both sides are all gymnasts who have only recently begun earning top-level international opportunities, including Glenn Trebing and Anna Lena König, both of whom made their world championships debuts in Liverpool this quad.

The series overall is starting out on a high note, combining some of the most exciting legends in the sport with the newest senior-level competitors, with the men’s side especially exciting. 2022 world pommel horse champion Rhys McClenaghan leads the field on that event along with bronze medalist Harutyun Merdinyan, while all three vault medalists are on the list, including Artur Davtyan, Carlos Yulo (who also won bronze on pommels in Liverpool), and Igor Radivilov. There are also a bunch of Olympians on the list, including 2020 medalists Artem Dologpyat, Lee Chih-Kai, Kaya Kazuma, Shin Jeahwan, Ferhat Arican, Tin Srbic, and Eleftherios Petrounias, who missed the world cup circuit last year and was thus unable to qualify for worlds.

On the women’s side, most notable is eight-time Olympian Oksana Chusovitina back in the saddle after she skipped out on worlds last year (she did qualify, but opted to take the time off), and Italy is sending an excellent team that includes 2019 world medalist and Olympian Alice D’Amato, along with Olympic teammate Martina Maggio, worlds teammate Elisa Iorio, and the newest member of the group, Manila Esposito, who helped the team to fifth place at worlds last year as a first-year senior. Also exciting to see back is 2021 world beam champion Ashikawa Urara, who didn’t compete internationally last year, and this competition will mark Dorien Motten‘s first meet for Georgia, her newly adopted nation after not getting much of an opportunity in Belgium. Though Motten has kept busy, especially with league meets in Europe, this will be her first major international assignment since Universiade in 2017.

The competition will begin with qualifications on Thursday, February 23 and Friday, February 24, while finals will follow over the weekend. A full list of all competitors who have registered is below.

Article by Lauren Hopkins